There’s nothing quite like a big pot of homemade chili simmering away in the crockpot. This hearty, comforting recipe is made completely from scratch with seasoned ground beef, tender beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. After several hours of slow cooking, all those simple ingredients come together into a rich, flavorful chili that tastes even better the next day.
This Crockpot Chili is perfect for busy weeknights, game days, family dinners, potlucks, and chilly evenings when you want something warm and satisfying. The slow cooker does most of the work, allowing the flavors to develop while you go about your day.
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chili
This recipe makes a generous batch, so it’s perfect for feeding a crowd or preparing meals for several days. The combination of three types of beans, ground beef, tomatoes, peppers, and onions creates a hearty texture and plenty of flavor in every spoonful.
One of the best things about homemade chili is that you can easily adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. Make it mild and comforting or add extra chili powder, hot sauce, cayenne, or jalapeños if you prefer more heat.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
- 1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 can Ro-Tel Original Mild with tomatoes and green peppers
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- Chicken seasoning powder, to taste
- Additional salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Crockpot Chili
1. Brown the Ground Beef
Start by cooking the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks until it is completely browned and no longer pink.
Drain off the excess grease thoroughly. This helps keep the finished chili from becoming overly greasy while still allowing plenty of beef flavor to remain.
2. Prepare the Vegetables
While the beef is cooking, chop the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion into small pieces. Smaller pieces soften nicely during the long slow-cooking process and distribute their flavor throughout the chili.
You can also add extra vegetables if you like, such as jalapeños, celery, or additional bell peppers.
3. Add Everything to the Crockpot
Transfer the cooked and drained ground beef to a large crockpot. Add the white kidney beans, red kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Ro-Tel.
Add the chopped green pepper, red pepper, and onion. Sprinkle in the chili powder and your preferred amount of chicken seasoning powder.
4. Stir Well
Give everything a thorough stir so the ingredients and seasonings are evenly distributed. If the mixture looks particularly thick, you can add a small amount of water or beef broth, although the tomatoes and sauce should provide plenty of liquid.
Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
5. Slow Cook
Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for approximately 5 hours.
During this time, the vegetables will become tender and the flavors will blend together beautifully. If possible, give the chili a stir once or twice during cooking, but it is not necessary.
6. Taste and Adjust
Near the end of cooking, taste the chili and adjust the seasonings. You can add more chili powder for a deeper flavor, extra chicken seasoning for savoriness, or salt and black pepper as needed.
For a spicy version, add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or chopped jalapeños.
Tips for the Best Homemade Chili
For the richest flavor, brown the ground beef before adding it to the crockpot. Browning creates a deeper savory flavor that you won’t get from simply adding raw beef to the slow cooker.
Don’t skip draining the beef if there is a large amount of excess grease. This keeps the chili hearty without making it unnecessarily oily.
Let the chili cook slowly. The longer cooking time allows the tomatoes, beans, vegetables, beef, and seasonings to blend together into a much richer-tasting dish.
Remember that chili seasoning is flexible. Start with a moderate amount and add more toward the end after tasting. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to spice and salt.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this chili piping hot in large bowls with your favorite toppings. Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeños, or crushed tortilla chips are all delicious additions.
For a classic comfort-food meal, serve it with warm cornbread, crusty bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
You can also serve the chili over baked potatoes, rice, french fries, or even pasta for a hearty variation.
Make It Ahead
Chili is one of those meals that often tastes even better the following day. Once cooled, store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The flavors have more time to develop as the chili rests, making leftovers perfect for quick lunches and easy dinners.
Freezing Instructions
This recipe also freezes beautifully. Allow the chili to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags.
Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.
Recipe Information
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cooking Time: About 5 hours
Total Time: About 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: Approximately 8–10 servings, depending on portion size
Conclusion
This homemade Crockpot Chili is the kind of satisfying meal that brings everyone to the table. With plenty of ground beef, beans, tomatoes, colorful peppers, and onions, every bowl is hearty, comforting, and packed with homemade flavor.
The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to customize. Use your favorite seasonings, adjust the heat to your liking, and pile on your favorite toppings. Make a big batch for your family, save some for leftovers, and enjoy an easy homemade meal throughout the week. 🌶️🥣❤️